Franz Josef Off-Road Quad Bike Tour through Rainforest and Riverbed

Franz Josef township and the West Coast

Franz Josef is a small township on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, squeezed between the Tasman Sea and the Southern Alps and built for one purpose: visiting the glacier that descends from the mountains almost to the rainforest a few kilometres away. The township has a single main street with hotels, cafés and the offices of the helicopter and adventure operators, and it sits inside Westland Tai Poutini National Park, part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage area. Quad biking is one of the few things to do in Franz Josef that works whatever the weather.

The tour starts at the office in the centre of town, next to a restaurant and in the same building as the helicopter operators, so it is easy to reach on foot from any accommodation in Franz Josef. Departures run four times a day, from early morning to late afternoon.

The glacial riverbed of the Waiho valley

The ride's open stretches cross the braided riverbed of the Waiho River, which carries the meltwater of the Franz Josef Glacier to the sea. The valley floor is a wide expanse of grey stones, shallow channels and gravel banks that the river rearranges with every flood, and riding across it feels like driving on another planet. On clear days the view up the valley takes in the white tongue of the glacier, the dark rainforest walls and the snow-covered peaks of the Southern Alps, which rise to over 3,000 metres directly behind.

The riverbed is the best place on the tour for photos, and the guide stops here so you can take them and so the included photos can be shot. Crossings of the shallow side streams are part of the fun: the quads are built for water, and your gumboots and waterproof pants keep you dry.

The rainforest tracks

Between the open riverbed sections, the route follows narrow tracks through the West Coast's temperate rainforest, often described as Jurassic because of its giant tree ferns, moss-covered trunks and dense undergrowth. The forest here receives several metres of rain a year, which is why it is so lush, and the tracks are muddy, puddled and twisting, with roots and small climbs that make the riding more interesting without ever becoming dangerous for a beginner. The guide sets a pace that suits the group and checks on everyone at each stop.

If it is raining, the puddles are deeper and the mud is softer, which the guides consider the best conditions of all, and the wet-weather gear provided means you can enjoy it. Keep an eye out for native birds, including the cheeky weka and fantails that follow riders through the trees.

The quad bikes and the safety briefing

Each rider gets an automatic single quad bike with no gears to change, which is why the tour suits people who have never ridden before. Before setting off, the guide fits your helmet and gear, explains the controls and leads a practice run on flat ground until everyone is comfortable with the throttle, brakes and steering; only then does the group head out. No driver's licence is required, but every driver must be at least 16 years old, and the quads are single-seaters, so passengers cannot be carried.

Pregnant women and people with back problems should not ride, and the tour is not suitable for children. Sunglasses are worth bringing for the open riverbed, and everything else, from the jacket and pants to the gumboots, is provided at the office.

How the ride fits into a Franz Josef visit

Two hours is long enough to see riverbed, river crossings, mud and rainforest without being tiring, so the quad bike tour fits neatly around a glacier helicopter flight, a glacier valley walk or a soak in the hot pools in town. The morning and late-afternoon departures are the most atmospheric: mist often sits in the valley early in the day, and the evening light on the Southern Alps is spectacular when the sky is clear.

Because the tour runs rain or shine, it is a reliable choice on the West Coast, where helicopter flights are often grounded by cloud. If you are visiting Franz Josef as a stop on a South Island road trip, booking a quad bike ride for your arrival or departure day gives you a guaranteed adventure in the landscape whatever the weather does.